Backhoes and similar excavators are used for a wide variety of material handling and excavation purposes. Equipment of this nature generally includes an articulated arm supported by a ground supported frame, and a bucket assembly pivotally mounted to the distal end of the arm. Hydraulic fluid actuators provide selective movement of the arm and bucket assembly for performing a wide variety of digging and scooping material handling operations. the versatility of equipment of this nature is well recognized, and backhoes and similar excavators are commonly used for a great variety of construction jobs and the like.
Because the working action of excavators of this nature typically involves scooping or curling movement of the bucket assembly, these type of excavators are not particularly well suited to moving objects which require a grasping or claw-like working action. Because of the added versatility which a working action of this nature provides, hydraulically actuated clamping arms are frequently installed on the articulated arm of the backhoe. These assemblies typically include a pivoted clamping arm which is movable into and out of engagement with the bucket of the backhoe. In this way, a claw-like working action is provided which accommodates manipulation and moving of objects which ordinarily the bucket assembly alone would be unable to handle. For instance, arrangements of this nature accommodate the movement of logs, pipes, and other elongated objects. Because these arrangements provide for grasping of objects rather than the usual scooping provided by the bucket alone, the versatility of the backhoe or similar excavator is greatly increased. U.S. Pat. No. 3,273,729 to Holopainen, illustrates a typical arrangement of this nature.
Heretofore, clamping arm assemblies as described above have typically required specialized mountings for installation on the excavator. For instance, one commonly used arrangement for a backhoe includes a clamping arm pivotally connected to the dipper arm of the backhoe near or at the pivotal support of the bucket. A fluid actuator is pivotally connected to the dipper arm near its mounting to the boom of the backhoe, and extends therefrom to a pivotal connection with the clamping arm intermediate its ends. Mounting of a clamping arm assembly of this nature usually requires a weld-on bracket on the dipper arm for pivotally supporting one end of the fluid actuator. Although this arrangement provides the added versatility associated with clamping arm assemblies, transfer of the assembly from one excavator to another requires that a welded-on mounting or equivalent be provided for attachment of the assembly. Additionally, clamping arms of this description may interfere with equipment mounted on the backhoe, such as lighting fixtures. Thus, a clamping arm assembly for use with a backhoe or similar excavator which would preclude the necessity of providing specialized mounting arrangements would facilitate transfer of the assembly from one piece of machinery to another.